No ransom paid for release of Kerala priest: V.K. Singh

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 13 (IANS) Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh on Wednesday said no ransom was paid for the release of Kerala Catholic priest Tom Uzhunnallil.

The priest, who was abducted by the Islamic State (IS) terrorists from Aden in March last year, was brought to Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman on Tuesday. He has reached the Vatican, said a Church spokesperson on Wednesday.

“No ransom was paid and the reason why Oman got into the efforts for release is… when direct efforts do not yield results, indirect measures are adopted and what’s important is to solve the problem,” Singh said while addressing the media here.

On a question when the priest is expected to return to India, the Minister said: “He (Tom) will have to decide that.”